The Chameleon (Jim Sterling&You FanFic)
by ravensrath666
Summary: Nathan Ford has called you up to help Clear Jim Sterling's name and get his old job back. The problem is you'll have to deal with an old partner and some feelings that you didn't expect to have.
1. Chapter 1

My phone rang within my pocket, "Go damn it. I'm in the middle of something." I put the wiring in my mouth, retrieving the phone from my pocket and placing it to my ear. "Hello."  
"Hey, are you busy?"  
"A little bit yeah." I pull the wire from my mouth, pressing the phone to my shoulder I continue my work. "What do you need?"  
"I have a job that I need your help with."  
"Really?!" what kind of job?" I finish the wiring and replace the vent duct, I placed my hands on the rope that suspending me in front of the duct. I repelled down the shaft of the elevator, reaching the bottom I removed the rope from my harness. "It's a heist."  
"Really, Nate? When is not a heist?" I reached into the pouch on my harness pulling out a detonator, "Don't worry, I'll be there." I pressed the button on the detonator the shaft above me blowing up, I pull the phone from my ear and place it in my pocket as I exit the maintenance door.

I entered Nate's bar, he was siting at a table with Sophie and another man, Eliot, Parker, and Hardison were at the bar. I tapped Eliot on his shoulder, he looked upset until he turned and saw my face, "Hey what are you doing here?"  
"The boss called me in."  
"For what?" I was confused, how come he didn't know about the job,  
"He just wanted to talk, since I was in town." Eliot smiled at my lie, obviously the was a good reason for Nate not to tell the others. "What were you all upset about?"  
"Huh? Oh," he looked at the table Nate was sitting at, "Nate has a visiter." I patted him and the back, moving over to Nate I could see the man more clearly, "Sterling." He turned his head to face me, "Hello dear, haven't seen you in a while." He stood and gave me a hug, it'd been months since my last encounter with Jim, "You two know each other?" Nate was frazzled at our friendliness,  
"Yes, in fact we've known each other for-" I look Sterling in the eyes,  
"I believe it'll be two years." I nodded my head turning to Nate, he was still confused by my interaction with his old co-worker. "So why'd you call me?" Sterling leaned into by ear, "That conversation is better to have upstairs." Nate and Sophie stood from their seats and we moved to the stairs heading to the second floor. "IYS is doing an investigation on myself." Sterling looked at the floor, "Apparently, I stole some valuable jewels from an estate I was insuring."  
"Sterling is being framed-"  
"But my company believes me to be a criminal. I've been removed from the company." Sterling became irritated, he sat down and moved his hand to his lips. "It's our job to remove these accusations and get Sterling his old job back."  
"Why do you need me?"  
"We can't use the rest of the team."  
"Why?"  
"They hate Sterling." Sophie's voice interjected she was sweet, trying to be gentle. "They wouldn't work well with him."  
"Okay. So, do we know who stole the jewels?"  
"His name is Christopher Morris, but he is known as 'The Chameleon'."  
"Seriously?! You want me to go up against my old partner. Are you insane?"  
"You know him better than anyone else."  
"I'd rather rip his throat out. That bastard left me stranded in the middle of Russia with twenty million in cash." Sterling looked up at me in surprise, "I spent four months in a Russian prison."  
"Four months, that seems pretty easy for that kind of crime?" Sterlings voice was calm in the quiet of the room,  
"I escaped." His eyes grew wide,  
"You escaped!" He stood hands pressed to the table, "How the hell did you-"  
"Can we get back to the issue at hand?" Nate stood raising his voice over Sterlings, Nate walked over to me, grabbing my shoulders and speaking in a softer voice, "I need you for this," he looked to Sterling, "he needs you for this. Please?" I took a deep breath, the last thing I wanted was to deal with Chris again, I let the air escape my lungs, "Fine, but you owe me." I looked to both Nate and Sterling,  
"You bet." Nate was smiling, "Let's get going then. You'll need to pack." Nate tossed me a passport,  
"Where are we going?"  
"Paris, France." I looked to Sophie she shrugged her shoulders, Nate grabbed her by the arm pulling her towards the door, I called after Nate, "Seriously?! Nate, Paris?!" I looked back at Sterling who walked toward me, hands in his pockets he leaned to my ear, "Thanks love." He kissed me on the cheek and followed Nate out the door. I stood in the now dark room, alone, "Seriously, Paris?!"

Nate had rented us two rooms in a very expensive hotel, I was unpacking some of my things on my bed, when Sterling walked in with his bag, "Why do you hate Paris so much? It's a beautiful place." I threw my shirt back into my bag with some force, turning quickly at Sterling, "I spent many days here running from the authorities hiding in abandoned building after abandoned building."  
"Why were you running from the authorities?"  
"I had stolen some secret files from the embassy."  
"I remember that, that was 10 years ago? That was you?" Giving him a big smile I continued my unpacking, "Wow, I'm impressed."  
"You should be, I was 14." I looked back at him waiting for his reaction, he seemed stuck in one position, not able to speak or move. Nate came threw the door with Sophie, "What's wrong with him?"  
"He'll be fine."  
"Okay. Well, Chris is going to be attending a party at the Louvre tomorrow evening." Sophie stepped forward, "There is going to be a black market sale there tonight in the undergrounds of the museum."  
"Okay. What's our plan." Sterling was beginning to come back to this reality,  
"To intercept him and the jewels before he can sell them."  
"That easy?"  
"Not exactly, I'm sending Sophie to get aquatinted with our criminal."  
"If I'm going to intercept him he can't see me."  
"Exactly, so take Sterling and go to the Louvre figure out what you need to stay out of sight."  
"But-" Sterling confused,  
"Good, meet back in four hours. I'll have a plan by then." Sophie and Nate left closing the door behind them, I grabbed a nice shirt from by bag. "What's going on?" Sterling finally coming back to us, "You're taking me on a date." I kissed his cheek and went to the bathroom to change, leaving Sterling standing attempting to consume all the information just given to him.

"Okay?"  
"Are you following?"  
"No I got it all; the explosives, the criminal life, but the one thing I don't get is...how do you know Nate?"  
"That is an entirely different subject all together." I held on to his arm as we made our way through the many corridors of the Louvre. I had Sterling taking as many pictures as he could, I tugged at his arm keeping him from leaving my side as I stared at a painting, "Don't get any ideas."  
"Don't worry, it's a fake." I let go of his arm and moved away from him, he stood there shocked looking closely at the painting and then rushing back up to me, "How do you know?" He whispered in a panic,  
"The artists signature should be a ninety degree angle, not at an eighty degree one."  
"How old are you? Twenty-five, twenty-four?"  
"That's insulting. You never ask someones age."  
"You are an incredible person you know that."  
"So I've been told." I took another photo of the skylight when Sterling's phone went off, he reached in his pocket and retrieved it, "Yes...alright...be there soon." He hung up, "It was Nate."  
"Well then, lets go." He took my arm and we lead each other out of the museum. We met up with Nate and Sophie at a cafe near the plaza, "So how's my old body doing?"  
"He a right good piece of work, he is." Sophie seemed irritated,  
"He has that way with people."  
"Did you get all you needed?" Sterling and I looked at each other, pulling the cameras from our pockets and simultaneously placing them on the table, "Good. The party is at 9:00 he has to bring the merchandise in early, Sophie and I will take care of that." He looked at me and Sterling now, "You two show up together and stay together. Sterling make sure you keep your eye on-"  
"Don't worry I got it." Sterling interrupted him looking at me, I sat back in my seat rolling my eyes. "So we know what we're doing?" No one objected with his question, "Good, I'm going to go get a drink."  
"Nate-" Sophie followed after him as he went off in search of a bar. Sterling rested his head on his hand which was propped up on the table, "What are you looking at?"  
"I'm just trying to make sense of you."  
"Well stop. It's bad enough I need a baby-sitter." I grabbed my camera and forced it into my pocket, I stood and walked away from the table. Sterling sat there at the table, a waitress brought him a drink, he grabbed the camera and place in his inner coat jacket pocket, he smirked and gave small laugh as he thought about my comment, he took a drink from the glass.


	2. Chapter 2

Last night with Jim was tough, he came back to the room a little more than tipsy, he tried to kiss me on more than one occasion. Eventually I got very annoyed at him and slipped some sleeping pills in his drink, he ended up falling over midway through our conversation. The next morning he did remember a thing from that night, all he knew was he drank a little too much and now he had a pounding headache. Jim and I arrived at the Louvre a half an hour late to the party, he was dressed in a black Italian suit brandishing an aqua blue tie over his white shirt. He looked very stunning, we were supposed to be a couple, "Hold my hand."  
"No."  
"Then grab my arm. This is supposed to be romantic." I rolled my eyes at him and grabbed his arm, "What did I do last night to cause you so much discomfort?"  
"I'll tell you later." His brow furrowed, a man greeted us has Sterling presented our tickets to him, "Bonjour. Welcome Mr. Jones." We walked in Sterling putting the tickets back into his inner jacket pocket, "Jones?"  
"Well, I can't use my real name."  
"Then who am I?"  
"You? You can just be yourself." Music began to play in the background, they had moved some of the exhibits to create room for dining and dancing. Sterling grabbed my hand, "Care to dance?"  
"Oh, I don't-" It was too late he lead you out onto the dance floor, he grabbed your waist and stood holding his shoulder swaying side to side with the music. "You look beautiful tonight." He was looking straight into your eyes, he was inches from your face, you had to fight every inch of your being to keep yourself from kissing him. You rest your head on his shoulder so you wouldn't have to make eye contact, "You don't look so bad yourself." He let out a small laugh,  
"Sterling? Have you arrived."  
"Yes. We're just enjoying a dance."  
"Well, stop Chris just entered." Sterling and I stood where we were and looked at the entrance, there at the door stood a man in a black suit with white shirt and white tie beneath it. He was tall about six foot two with blonde hair and blue eyes, he was the envy of any man at the party, stealing the gaze of all the women. "That is your old business partner?" I turn away from where Chris was standing, so he couldn't recognize me, "Don't remind me." We continued our dance as Chris made his way across the floor to meet up with Sophie and Nate. Nate shook his hand and gestured to another room, I quickly grabbed Sterlings hand and lead him to the stairs and down to where I could get a view of the auction without being seen. "What are you doing. We are suppose to be-"  
"I want to see him fall, if you don't want to join me, fine." Sterling reluctantly followed, finding an old vent I removed the panel and crawled inside, "What if someone see?" He whispered loudly, "Then distract them." I moved forward farther into the vent, I could see the auction occurring below me threw the slits in the vent. People were seated throughout the floor and there was a man standing presenting the merchandise. "Sold. Congratulations madam, I hope you'll enjoy your purchase." He reached down toward the jewels a man presented to him, "Here we have these lovely jewels, pure diamonds on a silver setting. We will start the bidding at three million dollars." Bidders began to raise their hands as the price raised higher and higher until ,"Sold, to the elderly man in the back." The jewels moved to the door and Sophie got up and followed them out the door, I noticed that Chris was no where in the room. I quickly turned and got back to where Sterling was standing, "Thank God. I was beginning to worry."  
"We need to go now. Chris isn't in there, if we're going to clear your name we need him." Sterling grabbed my hand helping me out of the vent, I tripped over my fancy shoes and fell right into his arms. I looked up into his face again inches from my own, "We...we should...uh, we should go."  
"Yes." Sterling straightened his suit and we made our way up the stairs, on the top floor there were many people standing around holding glasses of Champaign or dancing, "I don't see him."  
"There! He's making his way to the door." I had spotted him squeezing his way around the crowd, he was half way to the door, I turned to Sterling, "What do we do?" He looked at me worried, a waiter passed by us and he grabbed a glass, "Please, excuse me! Can I have everyone's attention!" The music softened to a stop and all eyes were directed at us. Everyone stopped what they were doing, even Chris, "I have something I'd like to say." Sterling looked straight at me, holding the glass out he began to find the words, "We been together for two years now and it's hard for me to find the words, but...You have been the adventure of my life. We've been through so much together, you and I. Meeting your parents was difficult, meeting mine was even worse." People around us laughed, "The way you smile makes my heart soar and I don't want to live a day without it." Sterling put his hand in his pocket and got down on one knee placing the glass on the ground he presented a ring to me, "Will you marry me?" I got chocked up, just for that moment I believed it to be real, I glanced up at Chris who was being lead out of the room by Nate, Sophie stood there looking at me. I returned to Sterling's gaze, tears came down me eyes, "Yes, yes of course." The crowd cheered and he got up placing the ring on my finger, I grabbed his face pulling it to mine and kissing him, he pulled back for a moment looking at me. He looked down at my lips and kissed me again, I could feel his stubble brush my lips, "Drinks for the happy couple!" I broke away from Sterling's kiss to see Sophie raising a glass to us, I looked over to her and shook my head, she then turned and left the room.

We stayed at the party longer than we should have, being the happy couple we danced holding onto each other and talking to the others around us. We had been congratulated many times that night, as we were leaving the staff at the Louvre presented us with a gift. It was a bottle of red wine age 100 years, "That was nice of them."  
"It was." Sterling held my hand as we walked in the night air back to our hotel, I grabbed the ring from my finger and placed it in his hand, "Where did you get that anyway?"  
"You pick up a few trades knowing a con artist." He smiled and tossed the ring in the air catching it and placing it in his pocket. He grabbed me close to him and we continued our walk. We reached Sophie and Nate's room, as I entered the door they had Chris tied to a chair, "Cheers to the happy couple!" Sophie stood behind him whispering,  
"He's had a little too much to drink."  
"Nate we're not actually getting married."  
"Good, I don't trust you marrying my sibling." Sterling turned to me raising his brow,  
"I'm leaving. Have fun with my old associate. I hope you get your job back. Good-bye." I turned and walked out of the room Sterling catching up to me he grabbed my arm, stopping me in the hall. "You two are related? That was it, that's how you knew each other?"  
"Yes. Okay, now let me go." He stood in shock hold my arm,  
"So, I'm guessing he taught you all of the thievery?"  
"Actually I taught him." He then let go of my arm, we stood there for a few minutes holding each other's gaze, "Jim when you proposed to me, back in the Louvre.-" I looked away from him the emotion about pour out my eyes as tears, "Did you mean it?"  
"What?"  
"Your words, did you mean any of it?" He put his hands on my shoulders holding me so I couldn't run, he moved his and to my chin pulling my eyes to his, he leaned forward and our lips met, he tilted his head to the left, I kissed his upper lip, head tilted his head to the left making eye contact before another kiss. His tongue pressed against my lips, I reached my own out as our tongues danced inside each others mouths, he moved his hands down the sides of my arms and my back. He pressed me to the wall, I ran my finger through the hair on the back of his head slightly tugging when he bit my lip. My other hand on his side tracing the line of his belt which was seated on his hips, he pulled back my lips wet with his saliva, "I meant every word." I moved my hand from his side to the aqua tie wrapping my fingers around it, I pulled him close kissing again more passionately then last time, he lead me to our room fumbling over the door frame we closed the door to the hall.

We made it back to Portland with no problems, I was sitting at the bar enjoying a drink with Eliot, Parker, and Hardison, "So where did you guys run off too?" Hardison was curious considering we were absent for quiet sometime, "Paris." I took a drink from my beer smug at my answer Eliot laughed, "Paris?! Seriously?! Why don't we ever get to go to Paris?" Hardison was in an up roar,  
"We can go to Paris next time. Just you and me." Parker traced Hardisons jaw with her finger, "Wow get a room." I laughed,  
"I agree." Eliot's face tightened, he knew the voice and so did I, Eliot tightened his fist, I grabbed it keeping him from throwing that punch, "I'll take care of it." Eliot nodded and I stood and approached the man, leaning in to him, I kissed him. "Wow!" Hardison was surprised, "What the-" Eliot returned to his drink anger he drank the bottle and left,  
"Hello Sterling."  
"Hello!" He raised his eye brows, "Glad to see you too." He grabbed my waist and kissed me again, "Damn, now I really want to know what happened in Paris." I lead Sterling to the table with Nate and Sophie, Sterling leaned towards Hardison grabbing a beer from the counter, "Sorry, I don't kiss and tell."


End file.
